"He's a beast" - Thierry Henry left stunned by what Manchester City superstar did in 4-0 Real Madrid thrashing
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry was left stunned by Kyle Walker's performance after Manchester City thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 on Wednesday, May 17.
Walker nullified Vinicius Junior as the Cityzens coasted to a 5-1 win on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals to secure their spot in the final in Istanbul.
The tie was in the balance after the two juggernauts played out a thrilling 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, Pep Guardiola's side showed their dominance last night. Bernardo Silva scored a brilliant brace, while Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez scored a goal each to secure a dominant 4-0 win over Real Madrid.
Much of Manchester City's success came down to Kyle Walker being able to stop Vinicius from having any impact on the game. The England international won both of his tackles, made nine recoveries, and won 80% of his ground duels.
As a result, the Real Madrid superstar struggled to even get hold of the ball with just 39 touches. Vinicius made zero successful dribbles and accurate crosses, and his one shot wasn't on target.
Thierry Henry was left impressed with Kyle Walker's performance. He told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (via HITC):
“Kyle Walker is a beast. Whenever you have to run with him, then you might as well stop. At one point, he was way behind Vinicius Jr and he just caught him. Put his arm, took the ball and said ‘bye’, then went the other way. When it comes to that, he is too good."
He added:
“I have to say, he put Mbappe in his pocket at the quarter-final of the World Cup. He put a lot of players that are actually outstanding in his pocket. It’s not easy to beat him. You have to give him a lot of credit.”
Manchester City will now play Inter Milan in the UCL final on June 10. They are firmly in the hunt for the treble as they are also in the FA Cup final against Manchester United. Moreover, they are likely to win the Premier League over Arsenal.
Exploring Kyle Walker's Manchester City career stats after impressive performance against Real Madrid
Kyle Walker joined the Cityzens back in 2017 from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £45 million. Since then he has gone on to solidify himself as one of the most consistent right-backs in the Premier League.
The 32-year-old has made 249 appearances in all competitions and has registered six goals and 18 assists. He is renowned for his pace, strength, and defensive prowess and has helped Manchester City win 11 trophies to date.
Walker struggled to break into Pep Guardiola's system earlier this season, however, due to Nathan Ake's injury, was given a chance to impress. After his performance against Real Madrid last night, it is hard to see him being dropped for the remainder of the season.
Manchester City side next face Chelsea at home in the Premier League on May 21.